


Bloody Hades!

by Lokiismyking



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:06:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23929657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokiismyking/pseuds/Lokiismyking
Summary: After the war against Gaia and her giants, the demigods thought they would have more time to recover from injuries and from the loses they sustained amongst their ranks - amongst their friends. Unfortunately, the gods never cared much for the needs of their children. So when monsters begin to threat magical Brittain, Thalia, Percy and Nico are sent to put a stop to it. While they navigate school and try to complete their quest they will have to deal with yet another traumatized post-war society, and all that entails.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Thalia Grace, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	1. Re-quested

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The Percy Jackson and Harry Potter series belong to Rick Riordan and J. K. Rowling respectively. I own nothing but the plot.

** Percy **

"Percy, would you mind coming here for a second? There's something I'd like to talk to you about." Chiron called from the Big House. I nodded I'd be going in a sec and turned back to my class.

"Okay guys, keep practicing the defense move I just showed you. Any doubts, Clarisse over there will help you out." I told the new campers. They looked uncertain, even more when the daughter of Ares smiled evilly at them. I sighed. "I don't want to hear they got hurt in their first training session." I told her seriously.

"Spoil sport." she coughed out when I passed by her. And obviously, she ignored me completely because a second later I heard her asking the newbies.

"So Punks, who's up for a little warm up fight?" I could only roll my eyes.

I walked quietly to the Big House, thinking of what Chiron could probably want to talk about. I just hope he doesn't want to talk to me about... it, again. What happened, happened, it's not like I'm gonna go and do something stupid. _'But that's what you do Seaweed brain.'_ I stopped, breathing hard to maintain control. Before the world started to spin around me, I decided to ignore the affect it had on me, and pushed it out of my head walking again.

I stepped inside the house where Chiron was wheeling himself back and forth in the small space, with the expression he always had when he was thinking hard, but that wasn't new, what actually surprised me was seeing my cousins there. Thalia looked annoyed by the behavior of the old centaur and Nico, well, Nico wore his Ghost King expression, which meant, his face showed no emotion at all, but his eyes would tell you everything you wanted to know, if you knew him well enough. Currently, he wasn't enjoying himself much either. But that changed as soon as they saw me. Both of them smiled, something you didn't saw often.

"Thals, Nick." I said lowly, I almost didn't believe they were there, but it was so good to see them again, that I didn't dwell on the reason much. Before I had time to say anything else, Thalia crashed me in a hug. While Nico chuckled, as darkly as always, and clapped my back, but I wouldn't have it, so I pulled him in the hug too, managing to get a laugh out of both of them. I even smiled a little.

Sadly, soon it was over and I felt Thalia give up to her tears in my arms. I hugged them more tightly than before, fighting my own tears that were threatening to fall badly. And they did, not longer after that. My Roman training reminded me that this was wrong, that we don't show weakness. I told it to go drown in a pond.

Grey eyes shot in my mind and I no longer could hear Thalia's and Nico's shooting words. The pain in my chest was too much. She's gone. It felt like I had no oxygen and too much at the same time. She's never gonna smile at me again. I couldn't breath anymore. They're gone.

After a few moments of Thalia massaging my chest to help me into breathing again, in a way only she, Nico and Hazel knew how, while tears kept running down her cheeks, I managed to get a hold on myself, and clean my tear strained face with one of my hands. Thalia now was snuggled in my arms and Nico had a supportive arm on my shoulders. A few seconds later, the silence laced with pity and concern became unbearable, I had to say something.

"You're taller." I said to Nico who gave out one of his dark chuckles. Even Chiron smiled.

"Trust you Percy, to say something so random like that." Thalia said shaking her head.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm weird, we all know that. Now Chiron, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked trying to avoid Nico's inquiring gaze. Believe me when I say, the kid can look into your soul. But I guess it's just part of being the son of Hades. My mentor eyed me for a sec before sighing.

"What is it Chiron? Say it already." Thalia snapped. If it wasn't her, or if we weren't stressed by the lack of information on the situation, Chiron would have gone into teacher mode to reprehend her behavior. But she was his daughter, or at least he considered and cared for her as so.

"I tried to ask them for more time. I didn't think it would be good for you three to go in a mission after so little time, but I believe it is rather urgent..." he seemed to be talking more with himself than with us on the last part. When he looked up at us, his eyes were sad, and old, and overwhelmed "The gods are requesting your help. Since after the last war ended," I couldn't help but flinch when he said that. "... the monsters have been fleeing. Searching for a place where their power is strongest, they were terrified of us, of the great power of the Demigod Armada. So they... They want to send you there to help the wizards."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wizards? As in magic wands, pointy hats and potions, wizards?" I asked, my mouth opened with surprised. _This has to be a joke..._

"Well yes Percy, exactly that kind of wizards. Thank you for clarifying it for us." Chiron said smiling. I could see he was trying hard to suppress his laughter. My cousins, in another hand, didn't care and were laughing wholeheartedly.

"Okay..." I said slowly, letting the information sink in. "And you would think that after all this time nothing else could surprise us..." I murmured. Thankfully, they didn't hear me, or chose not to comment.

"Where are they, anyway?" Thalia asked. Her famous temper rising. "Why didn't we know of them before?"

"Gods, it’s like the Romans all over again." Nico grumbled, and Thalia and I smiled at his expression. Even Chiron had to chuckle. 

"Believe me child, I know." he said still smiling. When his easy-going smile dropped, I knew I wouldn't like the subject change. Nico and Thalia seemed to think so too, because even before Chiron started talking again, Nico was speaking.

"But that's not all, right Chiron?" the centaur shook his head.

"You leave tomorrow, at dawn." Nico and I groaned. Dawn is far too early! Thalia snorted at our behavior. "And proceed to the school at eleven, London's time zone." we froze in our spots. Then together:

"London?"

"School?!"

Yep, that would be a long night. 

___

After Chiron managed to calm us down, and explain everything, from Hogwarts - what a ridiculous name for a school, Nico and I laughed for whole twelve minutes, before Thalia finally zapped us to shut up. Needless to say we weren't very cheerful after that. Thalia, on the other hand, couldn't stop grinning for the rest of the meeting. - to the mad guy who decided to call himself Lord Voldemort. Nico knew him by Tom Riddle, what tells us the guy is in trouble, no one messes with Lord Hades, or his son, the Ghost King. But apparently, he did. Becoming immortal and killing hundreds of other wizards and witches.

When our dearest centaur finished explaining to us everything, he ended his brilliant speech by telling us not to forget to pack some weapons. As if we haven't been through enough to know that. But I guess he was just worried, I mean, extra worried.

"Come on guys, I'm hungry." I said to my cousins, pulling them by their shoulders. A second later the conch horn blew magically signing it was already time for dinner. Thalia and Nico shook their heads, smiling.

"I'll never understand how you do that." Nico said. I looked back at Chiron who gave me a knowing look. I just smiled and winked to him.

"I'm just awesome like that, Nick. You should be used by now." I said playfully. I was expecting Nico to give a comeback at how I was not supposed to call him Nick, and blah, blah, blah, but Thalia was faster, not that it surprised me.

"You think you're all that hun, Kelp Head? I bet I could bring your head back to earth before dad blasts you off the clouds you have been up to." she said smirking. She got a few feet away from me while moving to a fighting stance. I smirked back.

"You don't want to do this, dear cuz." I said getting Riptide out of my pocket.

"I'm gonna blow your bubble, Fish boy." she said before we charged each other. I heard Nico sighing before I got too caught up with the fight and lost track of such small details around me. But I did noticed people gathering around us, some looked worried at first but then turned like some others who were smiling, and betting. Led by the Hermes/Mercury Cabin.

I dodged Thalia's sword and manage to disarm her with a new move I've been practicing, she quickly got over her shock and pulled out her hunting double deadly knives, slashing a 'T' in my arm, for 'Thalia'. My face must have been really funny because Thalia stopped mid action to laugh, followed by the Jason's, Hazel's, Piper's, Leo's, Clarisse's, Chris' and even Nico's creepy chuckle. The new campers seemed even more scared than they were before, waiting for my reaction.

"Seriously?!" I asked annoyed, only making the old campers laugh harder.

"Come on Perce, you know I love you." Thalia said winking to me. I just rolled my eyes at her, though some kids seemed utterly surprised.

"Ouch sis, now I'm wounded." said Jason, approaching us, an arm around Piper's shoulders. I had to look away at the blatant demonstration of romantic affection. "Not a word of acknowledgement to your own brother!" he said dramatically. Thalia just rolled her eyes and murmured something about spending too much time with Leo, before giving him a hug. Then proceeding to hug the girls and shake hands with the guys, as did Nico, only the shaking hands though, as the prince of death, he couldn't tarnish his reputation by hugging people, with the exception of Hazel, who was still beaming at him as he held her at his side, me and Thalia.

"So... What are you doing here guys? I thought you were helping dad Nico." said Hazel, looking up at her brother. Want to see Nico get really scary? Threaten his little sister. The promise of a punishment at the Fields of Asphodel will be the last thing you'll see before he sends you directly there.

"Yes, and I thought the hunters were somewhere near Austin..." said Jason to Thalia confused, as we walked towards the Mess Hall. She sighed.

"We have a quest guys." for a moment, our friends were stunned into silence, before they began to yell questions and curse the gods. 

"Shut up!" Piper's Charmspeak did the trick, and we were compelled to stay quiet. I noticed the whole dinning pavilion fell silent as well, not that I was surprised, Piper's abilities had increased to a new level, she was now able to control a lot more people and in greater distances. She smiled and pushed her braid over her shoulder as we made our way into the Mess Hall. "Now, we are going to be civilized demigods and speak one at a time, so that Percy, Nico and Thalia can answer our questions. Is that clear?" she glared, and we all nodded quickly. "Good." and she sat down at our table pulling Jason to the chair by her side.

After the... war, a lot of things changed. First, Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter were united into Camp Demigod, and our army became known throughout the mythological world as the Demigod Armada, represented by the color red of our new T-shirts.

The logistics changed as greek and roman traditions were merged. The campers still sleep in their parent's cabin, but now it is the house for the children of both aspects of the god/goddess. Trainning was devided in two: the more broad activities, that went from greek/latin lessons (including the languages and the myths of both eras), healing, pegasi riding, simple armor/weapons repairing, the various types of races and Capture the Flag was done with your cabin mates. The more battle-like feature of trainning as sword fighting, archery, the occasional battle environmental portrayal (against monsters), and the War Games, were done in the cohorts.

The rankings, which determinate in what activities you can participate, have changed too. There are the Youngsters, kids younger than twelve, that have light fighting classes taught by the veterans, and can only join the first type of activities, excluding Capture the Flag; the Legionnaires, teenagers between 12 and 18 years old, that made the biggest part of the army; and the Veterans, retirees over 18. There are a subdivision in this rank though, the Heroes. A fictional status obtained by war merits with no age requirement. At least that was how Chiron explained to me when I woke up after the war. Of course, me and my friends were the greatests representations of this class. We could choose to take part of any of the activities, or not. The only thing Chiron asked us was to take turns teaching and helping the Youngsters.

"So, who wants to start?" when all of our friends began talking again she just rolled her eyes in exasperation. I gave her a mischievous smile, and a wink. Suddenly, or not really, small jets of water shot out and hit them on the top of their heads. Gradually, the Mess Hall fell silent, waiting for the scene to unfold. They didn't have to wait long.

"Prissy!!! I'm gonna kill you!" I just smiled and after I dried everyone, Clarisse calmed down, and Thalia told our friends what Chiron had said. They asked if they should come with us, but it was decided that a group so big would cause too much suspicion. They said they would be only a Pegasi ride away, and made us promise not hesitate to call for help, if things were in a worse shape than presumed.

\---

"Gods, it's too early." I heard Nico murmur next to me. He was grumpier than usual, not that I could blame him. I found it difficult to stay alert at this time in the morning as well, even more because I didn't have a good night of sleep. I had nightmares again. But by now they were so frequent that they didn't even bothered me anymore. I was getting used to sleeping less hours, if I slept at all. The only one that seemed fine with everything was Thalia. Being a hunter, I guess she was used to waking up at early hours or whenever Artemis felt like it.

Suddenly there was a glow of light on the top of Half Blood hill, where we stood, and we had to look away. After the light died down, we were staring at a girl around seventeen years old. She had black hair, that sometimes, when the light was right, could be mistaken by a very dark purple, and very odd violet eyes. Her lavender tunic, that reached right above her knee, floated around her without wind. She smiled, showing her white teeth.

"Lady Hecate." the three of us said bowing.

"Rise heroes." she said and they stood up. "I believe Chiron has explained everything to you?"

"Yes, milady." Thalia answered for us. Hecate smiled again and raised her hand over our heads, murmuring a small spell. Immediately, we were encircled by a purple glow. And gods it sting-ed. Nothing unbearable, but definitely uncomfortable. Soon enough, the magic stopped, and we fell to their knees, evening our breathings.

"Now you're ready, my heroes." Hecate said proudly, smiling down at us. We bowed again before standing up. "I've arranged your books so all of them are in Ancient Greek. That way, will be able to... How do you say? 'Keep up' with the other students?"

We smiled at her and nodded. The goddess smiled back. She seemed to approve of us. And as far as I knew my cousins liked her, as I did too.

"I understand that you're ready to go? You have everything else you'll need?" she asked and again we nodded in reply. She seemed way too excited for my taste, and that worried me. Excited goddesses reminded me of Aphrodite, and I didn't have much luck you said goddess. But Nico had explained it was just because it had been a long time since she had actually ordered a quest, and that she wasn't usually that cheerful, _'She is a Underworld goddess after all.'_ he had said.

"Great. Hold on to me. This might be unsetting." she said. We barely had time to take a hold of her arm before we were thrown off our feet. I felt myself completely twist and before I could fully understand what was happening, we landed.

I had to fight an urge to throw up from the sickness that followed our little trip. I tried not to look at the goddess too annoyed. But she didn't seem to notice. She was looking happily at the street.

Now I noticed we were in some kind of narrow street, an alley, buzzing with people wearing colorful robes and holding weird things like... cauldrons? Yeah, these wizards were nuts.

"Now, down the street there is a store called Madam's Malkins Robes For All Occasions. Go there and ask for uniforms for Hogwarts. Pay her with these." she said and handed each of us a bag full of golden coins.

"Drachmas?" Nico asked confused. She shook her head.

"Galleons. They are the wizard's coins. Along with Sickles and Knuts. Don't worry about the change, just tell her to keep it." she said with a wink. The goddess seemed to be enjoying this a lot. "Your train leaves at eleven o'clock, at King Cross Station, platform 9 3/4. Now go, it's getting really weird the fact that you're just standing here looking at nothing." and with that she disappeared.

I turned to look at my cousins to see if they were as confused as I was. Apparently yes, but then Nico shrugged and we started to walk towards the clothes store.

In our walk I could see stores of the most unbelievable things. Such as hanging ears, books that bit, and owls.

Owls... Athena. The mark of Athena. Her.

Thalia pulled me out of it before I had a complete shutdown. I didn't notice my breath had become more labored, and my vision blurry with tears. It hurt too much. Thalia was again massaging my chest while looking at me with worry through her misty eyes. Nico had a strong hand in my shoulder and I couldn't help but flinch away from the firmer touch. He looked at me apologetically, I shook my head. 

"I'm fine." I said harshly, pulling their arms away from me and moving towards the store again. I saw with the corner of my eyes Thalia exchange looks with Nico. I sighed. "Okay, so maybe I'm not fine. But it can't be helped, can it? So let's just get this over with." I said and pulled them along with me. I knew that if I said anything else my voice would crack, if it already hadn't.

Turns out that the store were pretty easy to find, if you count thirty minutes standing in front of it trying to decipher what was written on the sign easy... We weren't disappointed after we got in because we gave up. A lady wearing a grey robe came from inside of the store and smiled at us happily.

"Hello dears, how may I help you?" she asked with her British accent.

"Uhm... We need uniforms for Hogwarts." Thalia said unsure. She glared at us to shut up, before either of us could make a comment on the school's name - again.

"Oh, so you're the transfer students. It's wonderful to meet you!" the lady said enthusiastically. I wonder how she knew we were transferring, and if everybody expected our arrival.

"Nice to meet you, too." Thalia answer politely. She could be lovely when she wanted to. Never to us, or any boys for that matter, but to other girls and women, yeah.

"Just step up here dears, and I'll have you measured." Ms. Malkins said ushering us towards some stools, one of the two was already occupied by a girl, about twelve years old. Her friends were standing next to her giggling and trying to cover their mouths. I soon zoned them out when Thalia went up the stool. I was thinking about what would it be like to go to a school again. It had been three years since my last time.

"Percy!" Thalia yelled at me.

"What? Was it really necessary to scream? I mean, you hurt my ears." I joked. She just rolled her eyes at me, like always. The girls next to her giggled.

"So guys, these are Natalie, Sarah, Esther and Gabriella. They're going to their second year in Hogwarts. Girls, these are my brothers, Percy and Nico." she said pointing at a different name. I noticed Nico turn his head in their direction but since I knew he wouldn't actually say anything, probably just scare the girls, I jumped in.

"Hey girls, how are you?" I asked smiling. I didn't get any answer though. They just blushed and giggled. Oh. Even I knew what that meant. I rubbed the back of my head as alight blush came up to my cheeks. Thalia rolled her eyes again, and I wondered if it was possible to get any health problems by doing it too much.

"As you can see girls, absolutely helpless." she said, her attention then being momentarily distracted by the tape coming around her neck.

"I don't think he's helpless, I think he is cute." one of them said, Sarah?, going tomato red before even finishing speaking. Her friends were looking at her with a mix of disbelief and utmost respect. I smiled softly while Thalia almost fell down her stool from cracking.

"Thanks, treasure." I said with a wink. She managed to become redder than ever. Before anymore could be said, a woman called them from the store's door. "See ya at Hogwarts, girls." I waved them goodbye as they ran out squealing, and blushing like cherries.

"My gods, Percy! You shouldn't have done that!" Thalia said still trying - and failing - to control her laughter.

"The poor girl almost fainted, man." said Nico from his spot closer to the shadows. There was surely an amused grin in his face.

"Yes Perseus, you shouldn't do that. After all, you've just arrived." said a velvet like voice behind my back. I wanted to be able to say that I didn't flinch at the new, unexpected presence so close to me, but then I would be lying. I didn't like to have my back vulnerable to an unreliable source of power, and was even more paranoid of not being in control of my surroundings after Tartarus. Immediately I turned, in a way I was efficiently cover the whole store with my eyes.

Thalia groaned annoyed at the woman in her early twenties in front of us. I couldn't place either the color of her hair or her eyes because every time I got closer to understanding it, they changed. But curly blond seemed to always come back, along with piercing grey.

"Lady Aphrodite." Nico and I said bowing slightly. She smiled at us and I had to fight an urge to take a step closer and do other things more... intimate. _Snap out of it!_ I yelled at myself. I couldn't let myself get affected like that. _But her smell is so good..._ Argh _!_ I gritted my teeth.

"Hello heroes." she said the last word almost like a purr, and I felt myself losing a little of my control. She giggled at mine and Nico's actions but didn't comment.

"My lady, how can I help you? What can I do for you?" Nico asked almost desperate. Thalia rolled her eyes, as if saying, 'boys'. Yeah, like this is our fault. I knew she was using her charm on us, emanating this aura of desire and passion, but I could do nothing against it, it was too strong. And for once, I had no reason to back out...

"I'm here to help you, young heroes. You no longer need to shop for your uniforms. It's all been taken care of. I couldn't have three of my favorite heroes looking bad to this wizarding people, now, could I?" she said smiling invitingly at us. I caught myself nodding my head in agreement.

"When you arrive at that train station of theirs, King something, your... trunks? will appear for you. And inside, there'll be all the clothes you'll need as well as your school material, which Hecate has provided." she smiled again and... _Oh gods._

"I assume that's all, Aphrodite?" Thalia asked harshly, and unwisely. This goddess could do a lot of damage, especially to a hunter. But oppositely to my previous thoughts, the goddess of love only smiled warmly at Thalia, who apparently thought it was worse than being threatened.

"Oh Thalia, of course not! This is just the beginning. You just wait and see!" Aphrodite said bouncing in excitement before disappearing in a pink smoke of perfume. Immediately, I snapped out of the trance she had put me in and smiled sheepishly at Thalia who looked, in a lack of better words, pissed.

"Good to see you're back!" she said angrily and storming out of the store. And out there, I could already see a real storm coming.

"Sorry Thals." I said smiling and rubbing the back of my neck. She just rolled her eyes.

"Was it that hard to control your jealousy, Thals? Gods, you can always say the words you know." Nico said smirking. Then hurrying to hide behind me. Thalia looked even more annoyed, I cursed Nico in my head.

"Watch it Di Angelo, you don't want to go there." she said threatening. But before they could start an argument that would lead into a fight, I stepped in. Reminding them of where we were.

I looked around, curious about the people walking around us, coming in and out of these weird stores, especially the ones wearing colorful and bright robes. A group of five boys stood outside a store, their mouths opened, talking excitedly. Taking a closer look, I saw they were all looking at a broom. Don't tell me...

"They have flying brooms!" I said chuckling. My cousins turned to look at the direction I was pointing and smiling.

"Sweet." Thalia said starting to walk towards the store. I looked at Nico amused but he was crestfallen.

"What?" I asked nudging him in the ribs. He looked outraged that I dared to do that, then sighed. It was me after all.

"We won't be able to ride them." he said. Oh... He's right. Zeus wouldn't be very happy. "Sometimes sucks not being able to fly. I mean, I've only seen things high up from Olympus. At least you can ride pegasi."

"When we get back to camp, you'll have a ride on Blackjack, I'm sure he won't mind. And neither will my dad." he smiled at me and nodded. Gods, sometimes it's hard to remember Nico's only fourteen. His whole, Ghost King, Prince of Death 'charisma' isn't exactly childish. "Come on, before Thalia zaps something, or worse, someone." I joked looking at how Thalia was glaring at a red headed man that was trying to sweet talk her. Nico just laughed. That guy didn't know what he was in for.

\---

After we managed to get the ginger guy, who curiously only had one ear (we saw when he moved his longer hair), away from Thalia before she killed him with a high-voltage shock, we walked around the shops, exploring the wizard's alley. We saw all kinds of stores, and even if we were the ones using the normal clothes, the people wearing robes looked at us weirdly. Go figure.

Too soon, it was ten thirty and time for us to leave to the train station, where we would be getting in the Hogwarts Express. After finding an empty narrow street, each of us traveled to the station. I was doing much better in water travel, but it still drained a lot of my energy. Nico, the most experienced in element-travel between the three of us, since he's been doing it since he was ten, said it's just a matter of practice. But when I'm not near any water, is even harder for me.

"So... Where to now?" Thalia asked after both she and I took a few breaths.

"Platform 9 3/4." it was Nico who answered.

"Fine with me." I said and we took off towards the platform. But when we got there it wasn't so easy.

"What the Hades?" Thalia asked confused. I was as much as she was. We were standing between platforms nine and ten, and the problem was, there was no freaking thing between them.

"Ha-ha, how funny." Nico's sarcasm filled voice said loudly. "This people are nuts." I heard him mumble, more to himself than anything, but after all those years of training your senses get pretty good, and get to her almost everything. It's important when your sneaking into enemy territory, like in a Capture the Flag or War Games.

"Uhm... What now? According to this," Thalia brought up our tickets. "The train leaves in like twenty minutes."

I sighed and closed my eyes. 'Lady Hecate, please answer my prays. Tell us how to get to the platform.' I said in my head, then waited. I was wondering if she wouldn't answer when a family walked past us, the father bringing the little girl's trunk and the mother the cat. They were chatting about some houses not minding that they were heading straight to a wall. When I was about to call them out, they disappeared in it.

"Of course, they would have a portal." Thalia said annoyed, and followed the family disappearing to the other side. Nico and I looked at each other and I shrugged. Guess the surprising weird wizarding things are on. There was no denying, the quest had officially begun.


	2. Possible Friendships

Draco

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? At least to the muggle part of the station?" my mother, Narcissa Malfoy, the most amazing and kind person I've ever met, asked me at the door step of our home, her eyes full of tears.

"I'm sure mother." I told her for the fifth time. She gave me a watery, weak smile, wiping the tears away from her pink cheeks as they fell. I pulled her in, embracing her, and trying to comfort her like she had done so many times for me through the years. But I knew it wouldn't be enough. She was scared, I could tell. And so was I.

Today I would be going back to Hogwarts to complete my education, as the Ministry requested as one of my conditionals, but in reality, it was the best they could think of to keep me on line. Since Professor Dumbledore's miracle return, I wasn't considered a threat, not while I was under his supervision.

But the only thing I could think of was leaving my mother, and how I wished I didn't have to do that. She had been too fragile this last couple months. Since our trial, father's arrest and my conditionals, she cried a lot, and I feared staying on observation alone in the Manor would sadden her even more.

I never understood it, but somehow, she really loved father, and he loved her back, that's probably the only good thing about him. But now he was gone. Waiting in Azkaban for his real sentence, the Kiss. It had broken mother, she had cried so much when the Aurors came to take him. And in the middle of the mess, they shared their last moment. A light kiss on the lips and an exchange of words that I knew were too private for me to hear. Then, he turned to me. Extended his hand for me to shake, I did, and said: 'Take care of her.' and before he could say anything thing else, they dragged him out and dissapparated. Those were the last words I ever heard from my father. The last I would ever hear.

Mother cracked that day. The minute they were gone she collapsed on the floor, sobbing. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to cry too. Fuck, it was all I wanted to do, but I couldn't. Because even though he never told me he was proud of me, or how he was happy that I was around, or that he loved me. I loved him. The fucking bastard that ruined my life. So I took his words, his last wish to me, to heart. I would take care of her, no matter what. Because I'd not fail this time. So instead, I kneeled down and brought her close to me, and let her get all the sorrow out. We've never been so close as we were as the days passed. I started helping her with all I could, and we would sit and talk and drink tea. But then, one of the Ministry's employees came, to deliver my verdict.

I was to return to Hogwarts, and if I as much as lifted a finger, or worse my wand, which had been bound to only cast spells needed in the curriculum, against any student, I would be taken to Azkaban to receive the same fate as my father, as the man gently put it.

"I love you." she said, bringing me back to the present and caressing my cheek. I could see the concern and the worry on her eyes, but neither of us commented it. Whether it was for the situation ahead or my present health, I didn't know, but it was probably both. I was aware of how ill I looked, and she kept reminding me as if I wasn't.

"I love you too." I said and kissed her forehead. I levitated my trunk down the lasts steps and as soon as I was out of the Manor, I disapparated, but not before turning around and waving at my mother, who I knew wanted to come with me, and was fighting hard not to cry again. But I couldn't bring her. Not while I knew the looks and the things people would say when they saw us. She wasn't ready for that yet. No, it was too soon for her to have to endure that.

As I appeared on a deserted alley near King Cross, I felt alone, and almost desperate. Who did I want to deceive? I wasn't ready for it either. I had thought I was, but as soon as I crossed the barrier, from the muggle to the wizarding part of the station, everyone stopped to look at me. Mothers ushered their first years or younger kids away from me. Fathers took protective steps in front of their families and the rest of the people, glared, sneered or grumbled at me.

I sighed, trying to ignore the closing of my throat and started to pull my trunk along towards the train. As I passed, people cleared the way for me. And if I once enjoyed this, I was sure I didn't anymore. As I went, I could hear them, mostly Hogwarts male students saying, not caring to whisper things like, Death Eater, or murderer, or filth, or shit. Yeah, things like that.

I didn't notice my free hand was in a fist until I felt the pain. Looking down to it, I saw red marks my nails had done getting through my flesh. I finally reached the train and put my trunk inside it, and like the coward I was, I got in, not wanting to hear it anymore. I ran to the restroom trying hard to ignore the comments, and the insults being thrown at me as I passed, but in vain, I couldn't even if I wanted to.

I stayed in the restroom like the weak piece of shit I was for a long while after I felt the train start moving. I was sure by now that everyone would have their compartments and I would be able to walk down the corridor towards the end of the train, where I could stay, if there wasn't anywhere else vacant.

I was wrong. As soon as I closed the restroom's door, I came face to face with Potter, Weasley and the rest of the gang. _Seems like not everyone has a compartment yet._ I thought bitterly. I tried to pass unnoticed but to no avail. They saw me right away.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here, Malfoy?" Weasley growled at me, taking out his wand. Most of them followed, actually all of them followed, all except for Potter and Lovegood, who just stood there watching me. There wasn't rage in Potter's eyes like there were in the others, but something worse, pity and disgust. Looney just stared dreamily at me, like she knew something I didn't.

"Well, answer me, you git!" Weasley yelled and threw some curse at me that slammed me against the wall. Ouch. Still, I didn't do anything. I deserved this. I knew I did, so even when he punched me, I didn't complain.

"The Ministry ordered me to come back." I said cleaning the blood I could taste in my mouth from my busted lip. That stopped him. That, and Potter's hand on his shoulder. I was utterly confused.

"He's not worth it, mate. At least not now, and not here. Don't get down to his level." he said, and it was worse than Weasley's punch, because it hit deep down, because I knew it was true. I wasn't worth anything. I was lower than shit. I was nothing.

Weasley nodded and drew back his wand. They turned and left without a spare glance. "I'm still having a word with Kingsley though." I heard him say before they got too far away and I couldn't hear anything more. I walked towards the end of the train, checking for an empty compartment but finding only glares when people noticed me passing. Finally, when I was giving up, I found one. I quickly got in and closed the door, trying to avoid two Gryffindor now seventh years boys who had gotten up after me, no doubt to give me a piece of their minds too.

I sighed, closing my eyes and placing my forehead against the cool glass material of the door, musing that I wasn't even at Hogwarts yet, and there was a whole year ahead of me, when I heard someone clear their throat. I turned, and wasn't prepared for what I saw.

The most beautiful girl I have ever seen sat near the window and looked at me with electric blue eyes. She wasn't tanned but wasn't pale either. She was already wearing her school uniform even thought it couldn't' be more than thirty minutes since our departure, right? But it didn't matter, because she looked perfect in them.

Her skirt was short enough to give me a good look on her long, toned legs, but wasn't too short to be inappropriate. Her shirt was a number too small, embracing her thin waist and her breasts perfectly. The last couple of buttons left opened so that from where I stood, I could see a little cleavage, even with a sweater on. She had lustrous pitch black hair, that fell on light waves to her middle back, and small rosy lips, that looked very kissable. Get a hold of yourself, Draco! I yelled at myself mentally. She looks a couple of years younger than you! And you haven't even spoken to her yet!

"I'm sorry; I didn't know it was full." I managed to say when I finally stopped checking her out. I turned to leave but not before I saw a tint of pink reach her cheeks. If possible, it just made her more beautiful. I heard she murmur something that I didn't catch before she spoke up.

"No." I turned again; her face was blank so I couldn't decide what she felt about the situation. That was news, people were usually an open book to me, not that there was much left to read that wasn't anger or disdain... "You don't have to... leave, if you don't want to. It's just me and my brothers anyway." she said and turned to look out of the window, a thoughtful expression on. That was when I realized.

"You're American." it wasn't a question, it was a statement. I saw her roll her eyes and open her mouth to reply when the door burst open and two boys came falling in. They were laughing, already with their uniforms on too. I guess - hope, would be more appropriate - that these are her brothers.

The taller one, had green eyes, tanned skin like he stayed out in the sun a lot, a scar from over his jaw line that disappeared inside his shirt, and was smiling. The other was a little shorter, had black eyes, an extremely pale skin that matched mine, sickly, almost transparent color, and a scar running over his left temple. Both had this unruly black hair and looked strong, like they exercised a lot.

I saw the girl roll her eyes again, a small smile playing its way to her lips. I almost smiled back. Then they noticed me. I had fallen on one of the sits opposite to the girl when they came crashing everything on their way. They stood up, brushing themselves. The green eyed guy smiled and took a sit along with the other guy that looked at me questionably, with and dark eyebrow raised.

"So, who is this Thals?" the green eyed guys asked looking at the girl. Thals, what a lovely nickname.

"I don't know, we didn't get there before you two idiots came crashing in." she replied hitting their heads in the process. They groaned and whined but she ignored them and turned to me. "Anyway, these are my jerks of brothers. Percy Jackson," she pointed to the green eyed guy. "and Nico di Angelo." she pointed towards the other. "And I'm Thalia Grace, but I just go as Thalia, so yeah, don't call me by my last name." she finished. They didn't have the same surnames, so maybe they were from different fathers? It happens out of the wizarding society.

"Draco, Draco Malfoy." I introduced myself, expecting them to stand up, and yell me out of their compartment like everyone else would but to my surprise they just stood there looking at me. "So, you're Americans, how come?" I asked trying to start a conversation.

"Yeah well, we were... transferred, you could say." Percy answered shrugging. "But we've been home schooled, so I don't know it if counts." I nodded. A lot of people were home schooled, mostly after the return of the Dark Lord, and especially after Professor Dumbledore death, parents were afraid to send their children. "In what year are you on?" I asked. I don't know if I wanted to keep talking because I wanted to know more about Thalia, or because they were the first people to talk to me civilly in a long time.

"The last." Nico answered. I raised an eyebrow. He didn't look older than sixteen, how could he be on seventh year.

"How old are you?" I asked, truly curious. I didn't stop surprising myself. I couldn't remember when was the last time I was interested in something, anything. Then I realized how rude I was being. “Pardon me; I understand it’s none of my business.” I said, trying to make up from my incivility, but he just shrugged me off.

"Fourteen." Nico said looking slightly bored. I chocked. What? This guy is just fourteen? I turned towards Percy and Thalia. How old are...?

"Before you ask, I'm eighteen, and little Thals here is fifteen." Jackson said putting an arm on Thalia's shoulder. She glared at him and in some wicked move, twisted his arm behind his back making me jump. Nico just sighed as if this was normal behavior between them.

"Don't call me little, Kelp Head." she said in his ear, annoyed. Now, Kelp Head? What kind of nickname is that?

"Cool off Pinecone Face, we can't do this now." Nico said taking Thalia's hand off Percy who massaged his arm, glaring at her.

"Don't think I forgot your sly comment from earlier Death Breath. I tell my father or worse, my la- my sister and I wanna see you smile again." she threatened him, with a smile on her face, like they were talking about the weather. Nico paled - even more, if possible, because the guy seemed like a ghost already - and nodded. Whoever this sister of Thalia is, she must be a dangerous woman. Percy just chuckled lightly, but when Thalia turned to him, with a perfect eyebrow raised, he was clever enough to cover it with a cough.

"But what about you, Draco? What year are you in?" he asked me trying to move as far from Thalia as possible. She smiled at him victorious.

"The same." I answer abruptly turning towards him. He and Nico were smiling knowingly, and I realized I had been staring at Thalia as we talked. I looked away to try to hide my for-sure-flustered cheeks, but luckily was saved by the sweets cart.

"Sweets and candies." Madame Ward* said smiling happily, after opening the compartment door. "Mr. Malfoy." she said tightly. I sighed. Another person who disliked me, even though I never did anything to her, directly at least. But I suppose when I was younger, I used to treat her rudely. God, I was a complete git.

"Madame Ward, I wanted to apologize for-" I tried to say but she ignored me.

"So, do you want any sweets darlings?" she asked smiling at my compartment mates, and not acknowledging me at all. I sighed again and looked down.

"Uh... We don't have any money ma’am, I'm sorry." Thalia said smiling sadly. Immediately my head shot up.

"I'll pay for you." I said too quickly, and realized the double meaning my words could have. I almost hit myself for such stupidity. They all turned to me surprised and Thalia and I locked eyes. I've never seen such vivid blue eyes in my life. They seemed to spark with electricity. Then she blushed a little and looked away.

"Thank you, Draco, but I can't ask that." she said my name. My first name, and oh how it sounded amazing coming from her lips. Such a small amount of people called me by my first name nowadays, that it was actually good to hear these Americans saying it. Now, only my mother and Aunt Andromeda did, and father did too, before he was taken. These days I was Malfoy, the Death Eater, who failed to be good, and failed to be bad. Ridiculous. Weak.

"It's not a problem, really." I said smiling at her. _God, she's so beautiful._

"Okay, but I'm giving it back." she said smiling too. For a moment, it seemed like we were the only ones there. I almost failed to see the amused looks her brothers exchanged.

"I'm sure we'll find something agreeable." I said flirtatiously. She raised an eyebrow, but I noticed the light blush on her cheeks.

"Oh, I'm sure we will." she smiled flirtatiously too. "And actually, I already have something in mind." she said and winked. This times, her brothers' jaws fell opened, and they gawked at her while I smiled smugly. She was already going through the sweets when she noticed their expressions. She giggled and I couldn't help but chuckle lowly too.

"Help yourselves mates." I said and clapped Percy on the shoulder, bringing him and Nico out of their shock. Percy actually jumped a little, and for a second, I thought I saw an expression of panic in his face.

"Okay. Just don't expect me to give you anything else other than money back." he said smiling and I felt my face burn up. They went through the sweets and decided on a few different so they could try new things. Didn't they have them on wizarding America? In the end I decided on a liquorice chocolate wand for myself. I paid Madame Ward, that smiled a fake smile at me and went away. I was enjoying my sweet, reminiscing my childhood, when everything was simpler and there wasn't pureblood supremacy or my father punishments and requests, when...

"What the Had- hell!?" Nico yelled, jumping on his seat. I turned on time to see a chocolate frog jump towards Percy's face, he then proceeded to throw the frog out of the window. I couldn't handle, I started laughing, something I hadn't done in a long time. Years long.

"What the hell was that?" Percy asked annoyed.

"I believe you just lost your chocolate frog, Nico." I said still smiling. The kid turned and glared at me, and I could swear his eyes were burning. Then I was thrust into my memories of the deaths I had seen during the war times, all the suffering I had endured myself and seen others endure as well. I saw the dark silent corridor, the fear...

"Draco! Draco!" Thalia yelled at my face. I blinked twice letting my vision readjust. Looking down, I tried to stop my trembling limbs by clasping my hands and my arms tightly.

"Wha- what?" I asked, my voice sounding weaker than normal.

"Hey man, are you cool? You spaced out a little." Percy said with his eyebrows crunched together.

"Uh... Yes. Just lost in thought, I think." I lied. I couldn't get it out of my mind that something happened when Nico glared at me.

"Yeah, well... That thing was alive!" Thalia exclaimed. I smiled falsely.

"Actually, it was just enchanted. But it does seem pretty real. Have you never eaten a chocolate frog before?" they shook their heads. I shrugged, but it was strange. They've never eaten one of the most famous wizarding treats before? Does they do not have it in America? They began analyzing the other sweets cautiously.

"There's nothing else here that'll jump out if I open it right?" Thalia asked, her perfect eyebrows crunched together.

"No." I answered a small smile. "I'd be careful with the Every Flavour Beans, though. When they say every flavour, they mean it." I said with a small smile. Percy raised an eyebrow at my comment but picked one of the beans nevertheless. We all waited and watched for his reaction. It didn’t have to wait long. After the second bite he was spitting it out and holding his abdomen. Nico, Thalia and I were cracking while he tried to regain his control over his stomach.

"Gods, that was absolutely nauseating!" he said still trying to clean his tongue. We laughed a little more at his expense.

"I hate to do this but… I told you so." I said smiling. For a moment I was afraid, scared that I had crossed the line. I haven’t been this friendly with people for so long, and it just felt so good, that I had let my guard down. Would them realized what everyone else already had? But to my utter relief they didn’t even seem to think twice about my comment.

"Yeah, but I didn’t think it would so literal. I mean, gods, that was…" Percy was saying normally, or as normally as someone who had just had an awful Every Flavour Bean could.

"Repugnant?" I asked smiling carefully.

"Yeah! I mean, even the Stolls’... Never mind." he looked away, his jaw tensed. There were a few moments of awkward silence, as Percy looked out of the window, with a sad expression, and Thalia and Nico exchanged worried glances. She bit her lip deep in thought, and I almost groaned.

"Well, we should send some to our family, in one of the meetings. Can you imagine our father's faces as they got a bad flavor?" she said smiling a little, it looked forced, but I have to congratulate her efforts.

"Your dad would incinerate us." commented Nico appalled. She shrugged, not bothered.

"Not before yours." Nico was still unsure.

"You two should really stop with these kinds of things. One would think that after so many threats, you would have learned not to mess with some of our family members.”

"They are not so bad. They are just talk nowadays, I haven't seen anyone act upon any of the threats." said Percy, who entered the conversation, but was still looking out of the window, as though he was miles away.

"No one would do anything to you, anyway, Percy. Not with Uncle P supporting you the way he does." said Thalia. When he didn't respond and looked even more deep in thought and plagued by sadness and grief, she sighed.

"Percy’s dad is by far the coolest when it’s about this kind of daily or fun stuff, but he can be pretty scary when he wants to." Thalia told me. So, what I had thought about they having different fathers was true. I smiled back at her, but the subject of fathers wasn’t exactly my favorite at the moment.

We stayed in silence for a while. I looked out of the window, the sun was already low in the sky, what meant we would be arriving soon. I knew I should go change now, while there were probably less people doing the same, but I didn’t want to leave either. I wanted to keep talking to them, but I didn’t know what about either. Luckily, I didn’t have to think too hard about it, because Thalia started talking again.

"So, Draco, what can you tell us about Hogwarts?" he asked me. The three of them turned to me, waiting for my response.

"It’s beautiful, the castle, or at least it used to be. I’m not sure if there’s been any big changes, I haven’t been there since… well, since the Final Battle." I answered looking at the floor. Why did I have to bring the war up? I’m so stupid.

"Yeah, against that Voldy-mart guy, right?" Percy asked. I almost had a heart attack. Not only did he say the Dark Lord’s name, but he said it wrong. After a split second of shock, I realized that that was probably the funniest thing I had ever heard of He-who-must-not-be-named. So, I started to laugh, ridiculously so, but at the moment I didn’t care, because I was able to recognize that he was gone. The bloody son of a bitch was gone. I almost cried in relief. It was like a dream come true.

"It’s Voldemort, Percy, but yes, the war was against him, and his… followers, the Death Eaters." I said after regaining my control. My eyes widened when I grasped that I had just told them I was on the dark side, well not directly, but they would immediately connect the name Malfoy with our reputation as Death Eaters and would see their mistake. I was surprised and pleased when they didn’t. Quite the opposite really, Nico snorted.

"That’s a ridiculous name. Death Eaters, as if someone could eat death." and he chuckled, like he was remembering a private joke. Thalia and Percy also smiled, and I wondered what that was all about, but stayed quiet.

"So, what happened then?” Thalia asked. I didn’t want to continue talking about the war, but something in her eyes, her beautiful, sparkling, sky blue eyes, made it impossible for me to deny her anything.

"The Light won. Voldemort died, killed by the Chosen One of the prophesy, Harry Potter, he's in our year as well. They rebuilt the castle, and the remaining of the Death Eaters either ran away or were caught by the aurors and Order Members and sent to Azkaban."

"So, everything work out pretty well, I guess." said Percy. It was my time to snort.

"You could say that." I answered quietly. I was lost in my memories and my thoughts for a few minutes. Things hadn’t worked out, not for everyone. Not for the people who had lost family members, friends, colleagues; in whichever side of the war they were in. I knew that I probably had a pained expression on my face, but I couldn’t help it. When I started to think about Crabbe, father, mother, and even Aunt Bellatrix, that in her insane, twisted ways, loved both me and mother dearly.

I’m not denying or forgiving everything that she did, no, I couldn’t do that, but I also couldn’t deny that I missed her. Missed when she and mother would sit and have tea, and she would see me in my room afterwards, and help me learn protective spells, and wandless magic. It was her way of showing how much she wanted me safe.

And mother… I couldn’t even start with my mother. She was the most incredible person I ever met. Being her son is probably the thing I am proudest in my life. Nowadays the only thing I’m proud of.

I snapped out of my world of thoughts when I heard the door of the compartment being open. Well _shit_. At the door were three sixth years Ravenclaw boys. Davies, Hunt and Fisher; all of them I had verbally abused through the years and handed over to detentions. Fuck, Aunt Bellatrix killed Davies’ older brother on the Final Battle before she was killed.

"I had heard the rumors, but I didn’t think they were true, I mean, how stupid can you get Malfoy?" Fisher said, practically spitting my last name. Their faces were almost distorted in anger, and from their expressions I knew that the only thing stopping them from coming inside and beating the shit out of me were my companions, whom they didn’t know and so couldn’t be sure if were with me or indifferent to me.

"Believe me, I wouldn’t be here if I could. If you had bothered to read the rest of the Ministry decree you would know that part of my conditional is to come to Hogwarts; as a matter of fact, you have only Professor McGonagall to thank for that. She was the one who wanted me back." I sneered back, equally angrily.

"Why you fucking shit, don’t you dare talk about Professor McGonagall, or I will –" Hunt started to say taking a step closer to me and into the compartment. I gritted my teeth. My hands were in fists, fists I couldn’t use, not if I wanted to stay out of Azkaban. I knew that, and so did the three fucking Ravenclaws. That part of the decree I bet they all paid attention to.

I couldn’t harm anyone while in Hogwarts. The moment I tried to, whether with my hands or my wand, I would be tossed into Azkaban and administrated the Kiss. So I stayed firm on my feet, knowing that I had also brought this upon myself, and in a twisted sense, I deserved it.

"Hey, guys, come on. There’s no need for that, I’m sure." Thalia said smiling and slightly stepping between me and the three of them. All I wanted to do was put her behind me before she got hurt.

"Sweetheart, believe me, you have no idea of what you’re talking about. You’re clearly new here, so you don’t know yet, that some kinds of wizards are better off locked up on a cell, with the rest of their family." I saw Thalia’s somewhat friendly face change into something between disgust and objection. It started right on the beginning when he called her ‘Sweetheart’. I was sure she was going to lash out at them, because seriously, at that moment she looked positively scary, but Percy came forward and put a hand on her arm. All three of them, Hunt Fisher and Davies were oblivious to this discreet exchange.

"Now, if you would like Sweetheart, you could come with us, and we could tell you everything you need to know." Hunt continued to say with flirtatious smile. Now I definitely wanted to punch him. I continued to stare at Thalia’s face though. She looked downright murderous. Percy stepped in front of Thalia and held up his hand.

"Sweetheart’s brother, nice to meet you." he said, and while his words didn’t betray his displeasure, his expression and the tone of his voice did. Hunt was clearly intimidated, as were his friends, but they all tried to keep a cool expression and didn’t budge. Until Nico stepped forward though, and no one would say the kid was only fourteen then. The room started to get cold, and the lights seemed to dim slightly.

"Her other brother." was the only thing he said. The guys suddenly looked unsure. They didn’t even glance at the siblings again; instead, they turned to me. I made sure to have my head up, and assume the pose, and façade of indifference all Malfoys were born with. Their expressions turned back to hatred.

"Don’t worry Malfoy, our business are not finished yet. Not until you pay like you should have." spat Davies, and I could see the promise in his eyes. I didn’t answer. I might have changed a lot since everything blew up in sixth year, but if there was one thing I hadn’t changed at all was my cowardice. I was still a Slytherin after all.

The blokes left rather quickly after that and I was left with Thalia, Nico and Percy staring at me questioningly. I was still mad about what the Ravenclaws had said, and now embarrassed in equally intensity that my new… compartment mates? acquaintances? – had to witness it all.

"Well, explain." Thalia said with her hands on her hips. Her eyes were set in a determinate expression and she seemed both annoyed and confused. I looked at her brothers who too were waiting for answers.

"He’s right. Hunt, I mean. You’re new and you don’t know many things around here. I was clearly taking advantage of your ignorance, and I apologize profusely for that. I’ll- I’ll leave you to yourselves, no need to ruin more of your not even started reputations for being seen around me." I said, the whole time keeping my eyes on the floor. I couldn’t bear to see the rejection on the eyes of people who had just seconds before stood up for me. _But they didn’t know the consequences of that act._ My treacherous mind reminded me.

"I’ll go now, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone we’ve met." I said and as quickly as I could, I walked out of the compartment. I could faintly hear Thalia calling my name, asking me to wait. Believe me, I almost did, but I couldn’t ban them from a good year at Hogwarts just because of my selfishness. _But it’s been so long since I’ve been that care-free…_ Well, it didn’t matter, if I liked them even slightly, I needed to stay clear of them, for their own good. God _,_ now I sound like a wiping ridiculous teenage girl romance.

I entered the restroom to change into my robes. In the mirror I caught sight of my face. My cheek was starting to get a darker shade of red from where Weasley had punched me. Funny, I hadn’t even thought about that until now.

I stayed in the restroom for the rest of the trip, which thankful didn’t take much long, just about an hour or so. I waited the noise of the other students come down before I made my way towards the waiting place of the carriages. I stayed on the back, out of everyone’s way. I was the last to board the carriages, and the view of the empty sits beside me, and the grey, skeleton looking horses that pulled it didn’t help improve my mood. _God, I’m so fucked up._


	3. Being Placed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to say this right up but this is an old work of mine that I had mostly finished and so helped me overcome one of my greastest fears, to leave a work incomplete. But, being old, my writing is different, the content concerning the Heroes of Olympus series is mostly original since I had read only one or two of the books so far, and the characters are far too ooc - as BlankCanvas624 commented. Even for me it's kinda painful sometimes, but I don't have the will power to rewrite the whole thing. Nevertheless, 'Bloody Hades!' is first and foremost a terapeutic exercise so I feel more confident posting my more recent work. Thanks for everyone reading this little mess anyways. *blows kisses*

Harry

“And now that all first years have been placed, I have the pleasure to welcome the new students from America. They have been home schooled and are to be placed in the seventh year. I expect you all to be most welcoming.” Dumbledore said, looking sternly at us, the twinkle in his blue eyes gone for a second. “Now, please step forward children.” he said calling them forth.

Three teens slowly made their ways towards Dumbledore, coming into our sight. They were greeted with silence. The very Great Hall seemed to be holding a breath, then everyone started whispering.

“For Merlin’s pants, she’s bloody gorgeous!” I heard Dean whisper to Seamus.

“Look at the Slytherin’s faces. They’re practically eating her with their eyes.” Seamus said angrily.

“Like you’re doing any different.” Ginny accused them. They scowled at her, who just rolled her eyes and turned to talk to Hermione.

“Do you think he’s a Death Eater?” Ron asked me, pointing to the paler guy who stood a little back, seeming very uncomfortable and wanting to disappear in the corner. He sure didn’t look any friendly.

“He wouldn't be the only.” I said calmly, my voice not betraying my thoughts. After the battle, and during the reconstruction of Hogwarts, in which I gave myself fully to, I had many moments of complete breakdown, varying from fits of rage to desperate crying, all moved by the guilt I felt as being the reason for the death of so many. But always when I was alone, as I wished not to be a bother to the others.

Somewhere between all then funerals and trials I forced myself to attend, to pay respect to those who fought alongside me, and make justice, respectively, I found a sort of calm, as well as a new purpose. For years, my sole interest had been the end of Voldemort, that after he was gone, if not for my friends, my family, I would have gone as well. The Weasleys, Hermione and Teddy, were the source of my light, and all I did was for them. And for them I had to be strong, so they could go through all happenings.

I was aware of their worries as I grew somewhat thinner during the months following the battle, and my moods became more serious and my emotions restrained. But I wasn't their only problem so was not mentioned too much, just once by Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. They actually ganged up on me, and made me talk to them about what was going on, and threatened with force feeding, if I didn't start doing it myself.

Ron and I unconsciously looked at the Slytherin table where Malfoy was sitting alone at the very end of the table, being excluded by the same people who used to worship him. A dark purple-ish bruise covered his face from under his left eye to his jaw line. Ron’s punch.

“I feel bad for him though.” said Luna, popping at our side. “He looks miserable. Wonder if the Nargles are bothering him too much.” she said in that dreamy voice of hers. Ron clenched his fists angrily, not at Luna, but at Malfoy. While I simply observed.

“Well, the bloody git brought it to himself.” he murmured, shooting dagger at Malfoy, and some part of me couldn’t help but agree with him.

“Could you quit with the bickering? I agree that Malfoy is a prat, but let’s not start another war okay? Leave him alone, and I’m sure he’ll do the same. Luna’s right. It doesn’t look like he’ll be bullying anyone this year.” Hermione said looking at us seriously. Ron snorted at his girlfriend who just sighed tiredly.

“Just… don’t go mess with him. Forget he’s here.” She said turning back to the exchange students. Ginny glared at us, just to make their point clearer and stronger, then followed our friend’s action and also turned to the staff table.

Ron raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend and sister’s behavior then shrugged and turned to Dumbledore who was speaking, but not before sending a death glare at Malfoy.

“Please, be silent. Ladies first, shall we.” Dumbledore said smiling at the girl. “Professor McGonagall, if you may…” he said to his old colleague, who nodded before standing up with a piece of parchment.

“Grace, Thalia.” some people started whispering again while the girl stepped forward. All male’s eyes following her gracious movements. She almost seemed to glow silver in the moon light.

The hat was placed on her head and everything was quiet for a moment.

“Gryffindor!” the sorting hat yelled, and the hall erupted in cheers. The most enthusiastic ones being from the single boys on my table.

Thalia went to sit at our table, next to Hermione. They smiled politely at each other, but the girl seemed a little uncomfortable. Dean, Seamus and a few other sixth and seventh years boys who were sitting close started to beg to change places. It didn’t happen.

“di Angelo, Nicolas.” and the pale boy with longer hair stepped forward. I noticed a few girls whispering things like ‘mysterious’, and ‘dangerous’. Much to the Slytherin male’s distress, the girls from their house seemed most excited.

“Gryffindor!” the hat yelled, and I was sure I heard a few protesting groans form the other side of the hall. Nicolas made his way to a more reserved and far seat, next to Thalia.

“Jackson, Perseus.” McGonagall called and the last boy sat on the small bench. Not three seconds after the hat was placed on his head, it exclaimed.

“Gryffindor!” again, the hall exploded in cheers, mostly the female population. Even Ginny was applauding rather excitedly.

Not so unconsciously as would have expected, I made sure to put my arm around her waist and pull her slightly to me, as Perseus Jackson passed by us. Ginny didn't seem to mind the possessive gesture, considering she turned and put her hands on my neck, giving me ample space to finalize the moment stealing a kiss. When she smiled against my mouth, I brought her even closer, licking her lower lip teasingly.

“Huh-uh!” we broke apart and were met by a red-faced Ron, and a smiling HHermione. Even Neville seemed to find it amusing that we were going to get another tongue lashing from an over-protective brother.

“What did I say about snogging my sister in public Potter!?” I just smiled sheepishly and apologetic at him.

“Ah! Go snog Hermione, Ron, and leave us alone.” my beautiful, brave girlfriend said sticking her tongue out to him.

“Oh, and how would you want to be alone…” Seamus said winking at us.

“Sod off Finnigan.” I said, not denying his claims. And they laughed. Even the new students did, which made raise an eyebrow, flustered a bit. Perhaps it was best to leave certain things away from the Great Hall, it wouldn't do to go from Savior of the Wizarding World to Gryffindor Clown.

“And now, let’s enjoy the feast!” Dumbledore’s voice echoed through the hall, and the famous Hogwarts feast popped in front of our eyes, to the extreme delight of Ron, who I knew well enough to notice that he was already hungry. I also noticed that the surprised and awed expressions of the first years, as well as the exchange of raised eyebrows between the Americans.

“Well, welcome to Hogwarts, I’m Hermione Granger, Headgirl.” 'Hermione broke the silence after a short moment of quiet eating, putting her hand up for them to shake. They did.

“I’m Thalia.” Thalia said. Now that she was closer, all of them actually, I could analyze them better. The three of them had pitch black hair. Thalia’s was long, it almost reached her waist, and it fell in light waves down her back. She had blue eyes, and a lean but curvaceous body.

The guy sitting on her side, Nicolas, had black eyes that were set on the table in front of him. His whole face fixed on a gloomy expression. Not a good strategy for someone who is new at a school. All in all, he definitely didn’t emit a very friendly vibe. What contrasted drastically with the third guy.

Perseus was the epitome of friendliness. He smiled at us and seemed interested in making contact. His hair was shorter than Nicolas’, which reached his shoulders, but not that short. He was tanned, like he spent a lot of time under the sun, something else that contrasted deeply with Nicolas, who seemed almost sickly pale. Perseus was also the most well built between the two, not that Nicolas was fragile looking or anything, he seemed as able to kick someone’s ass as Perseus, it was just that he was leaner. But the dark expression, and cold demeanor seemed to make up for that.

“I’m Perseus, but- ”he started to say but Hermione cut him off.

“Like the Greek hero!” know-it-all to the end, I thought. I could see Ron’s smirk of amusement too. Perseus smiled tightly, his happy face breaking just a bit. Thalia and surprisingly Nicolas, smiled a little at this.

“Yeah, exactly like him. But just call me Percy, okay?” we nodded, but I wondered why was that. “Your name too, is Greek, if I’m not incorrect.” he continued, and I could see the delight in Hermione’s eyes that he knew about that. “Hermione, named after the god Hermes. Daughter of Helen of Troy, and Menelaus. Wife of Orestes. A beauty between women, just like her mother.” he had a faraway look in his eyes, like he was remembering something. Then, he turned to look at my best friend, and with a mischief but friendly look took her hand and said. “And I have to say, you live up to your namesake.” And with that, he kissed her hand.

I couldn’t tell who was redder. Ron from anger or Hermione from embarrassment. The Percy guy just laughed, and I saw with the corner of my eye Thalia rolls her eyes. Our friends too laughed, but at Ron’s murderer expression. I, myself, stifled a chuckled. My dear Ginny, on the other hand, was heartedly laughing at her brother and shooting knowing and amazed looks at Hermione who just got more flustered.

“Relax man,” Percy said still smiling, now looking towards Ron. “I’m just joking around. I can’t tell when a beautiful lady is already taken.” it didn’t calm Ron down one bit. “Most of them are.” he finished, winking at Ginny. I tensed. It didn't help that Ginny smiled sweetly back at him. Before I could say anything though, the creepy guy spoke up.

“Perce, you should stop. We don’t want trouble.” he said looking firmly at Percy, who nodded at him, and averted his eyes. Nicolas sighed. “I’m Nico.” he said turning to us briefly, before going back to staring at the table and playing with his ring. A skull ring! I raised an eyebrow at him and Thalia turned to Hermione apologetically.

“Don’t mind them. They're usually like that. It’s... harmless.” she said, and Nico snorted. Like I said, not friendly.

“Well, I’m Ron.” Ron said swallowing whatever food he had in his mouth, and smiling. The little flirting trouble earlier momentarily forgotten.

Thalia held and expression of disgust for a second before she could regain her blank expression and nod at him.

“Ginny Weasley.” my girlfriend said smiling to Thalia, who smiled back, looking fondly at her, along with the Percy guy, something I didn’t quite enjoy, so I tightened my hold on her waist.

“You remind me of a friend.” he said still looking at her. Both Nico and Thalia nodded at this.

“RED.” Nico said and Percy nodded smiling.

“Red?” Ginny asked confused, not so differently from the rest of us.

“Rachel Elizabeth Dare, also known as RED. A friend of ours, from America.” Thalia explained.

“Yeah, she has red hair and fair skin like you, but her eyes are green and her hair a lot wavier.” said Nico, staring intensely at her, almost like trying to read her out. I could feel Ginny’s unease under my arms because of the stare.

“So… You’ve met before?” Neville asked, sensing the awkwardness of the situation. “Sorry, Neville Longbottom.” my friend said holding out his hand for them to shake, which they did. Then, Thalia sighed but you could see it wasn’t serious because of the fond look on her eyes.

“Yeah, the two idiots are like my brothers, but we’re cousins really.” she said elbowing Percy on the ribs when he put his arm on her shoulder. He winced a little but didn’t take his arm off.

“Oh, but you love us Thals.” he said smiling lovingly at her.

“In your dreams Kelp Head.” She said rolling her eyes. Kelp Head?

“Are we back to nicknames again Pinecone Face? I thought we had agreed not to.” Pinecone Face?

“We had, but I can’t not call you guys those things.” She said smiling. Nico was quietly smiling next to them.

“Oh, shut up, Death Breath.” Thalia told Nico annoyed, but it only made him chuckle. Percy smiled again. Death Breath? I exchanged one look with Ron, and I knew he had thought the same.

Nico and Thalia looked happily at their cousin, like they were overjoyed by the simple fact that he was smiling.

“I just realized,” said Percy looking at me. “You didn’t introduce yourself.” Everybody that was close enough to hear our conversation stopped to look at him incredulously. After all this years, this kind of things still made me uncomfortable.

“I’m Harry, Harry Potter.” I said carefully waiting for their reactions. Nico’s head snapped towards me and I saw understanding cross their eyes.

“So _you_ are Harry Potter.” he said thoughtfully. He looked at me like he was trying to understand a puzzle or analyze me deeply. He had a strange look in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place. I felt even more uncomfortable now that I was under his gaze; he seemed to be looking at my soul. “I guess all I can do is thank you for finally getting rid of Riddle.” before I could say anything, Ron asked.

“What do you know about Voldemort?” Nico’s unnerving eyes turned towards him.

“Not much.” he said shrugging, like it wasn’t a big deal. “He gave a lot of trouble to my father.” was all he said. And somehow I knew not to question him further. But I still wondered what he meant. Ron mouthed ‘Death Eater’ to me and I inclined my head softly. We went back to eating in silence. Thankfully Hermione intervened before it became too awkward.

“So… Professor Dumbledore said you have been home schooled. How was it?” she asked.

“We’ve had a tutor since we learned we were… different.” Percy said with a quick glace to his cousins. “It’s no big deal, I guess.”

“And when was that?” Hermione asked again. Percy smiled.

“What? Are we playing twenty questions now?”

“Twenty questions?” Ginny asked curious. The Americans looked at her confused.

“You don’t know Twenty Questions?” Thalia asked her perplexed. Ginny, Ron and Neville shook their heads.

“It’s a muggle game to get to know another person. You can ask whatever twenty questions you want, and the other person has to answer.” I explained to them.

“Muggle?” I heard Thalia whisper ask Nico, who was closest to her. They don’t know about muggles?

“Are you muggleborns?” Ginny asked. They looked confused.

“What is a muggle?” Thalia asked Ginny. Now, it was our turn to be shocked.

“You know, non-magical folk.” Ron said.

“Oh, then no. Our dads are very magical.” Percy answered and shared a knowing look with his cousins, like a secret they had between them. It was all very subtle but I guess I had been looking for something since Ron brought up the whole possibility of Nico being a Death Eater, and now that we knew that they were cousins, it spread to Thalia and Percy as well.

Dessert appeared in front of us and while Ron helped himself with Yorkshire Pudding and Chocolate cake, which I also got, I noticed that the Americans only picked fruits. If Ron wasn’t so engrossed with his own food, he would have thought they were completely mental for that.

“And your moms?” Ron asked between bites. Their faces immediately became sober and Percy’s jaw tensed. I hate to admit but they looked quite scary.

“They were muggles.” He said before turning away. They _were_ muggles. My brain seemed to yell at me. They don’t have their mothers anymore. We kept quiet after that. None of us seemed to know what to say, and they didn’t seem to mind the silence. After a good lot of awkward minutes, the table was cleaned, and Dumbledore bid us all a good night of sleep and a good year. _Hopefully, nothing dangerous will happen._ I thought. I had had problems on my years at Hogwarts to last three life-times.

“Come on, we’ll show you the dorms.” Hermione said to Thalia who nodded thankfully. At least we were considered better company than the first years and the prefects.

We were waiting a little, just so the crowd of people trying to get out the Great Hall would lessen. The three first years of students chatted excitedly about the new things in the school, but the most excited were definitely the first years.

I saw Luna getting up from the Ravenclaw table to say goodnight to us, telling her new friends not the wait for her. I have to say, I didn’t even notice the moment that she out of our table. When I looked around, she was no longer sitting at the Gryffindor table, but back at the Ravenclaw. That girl never ceases to surprise me.

She approached us, her eyebrows knitted together in a concentrated look, watching something invisible above her head. She shook her head lightly and smiled dreamily at the few of us who had noticed us. Meaning Neville, Ginny and I. She asked us if we had enjoyed the pudding then smiled and turned to leave after we answered yes and exchanged wishes of a good night.

I took Ginny’s hand smiling at her and kissed it. Making her giggle. She was about to say something when:

“Annabeth?”

Percy

“Annabeth?” I asked taking her wrist in my hand. My heart had stopped beating. The world seemed to fade away. I couldn’t even breath while I waited for her piercing grey eyes, her knowing smile, and her sweet voice calling me Seaweed Brain. But when she looked back, it wasn’t her grey eyes that met mine. It wasn’t her face, or her look, or her anything. It wasn’t her.

I felt my heart break once again. I let go of the girl’s wrist, stumbling back. Suddenly my body felt weak, my legs couldn’t support me, and I fell back on my seat. My breath became labored, I was starting to hyperventilate. ‘She’s dead.’ was what kept repeating in my mind, ringing through my head and pounding on my skull.

I was no longer at the Great Hall of the magic school, but at the top of Mount Olympus in Greece, holding her lifeless body in my arms. Seeing her parted lips... Her grey eyes glassy, dead. The result of an oath.

“Percy! Percy!” I blinked twice to stop the tears falling from my eyes and came face to face with Thalia who had tears in her eyes too. She moved forward and hugged me.

I didn’t want to, but it was too much. I couldn’t… hold it in. Seeing her like that again, even if just in my memories, was just, unbearable. I tightened my arms around my cousin, my sister, buried my head on her hair, and cried.

She was gone. The love of my life was dead. “Shh, shh. It’s okay now. It’s all gonna be okay.” I heard Thalia whisper in my hair. I could feel her shaking with her own sobs.

“I think you should leave.” Nico said to the wizards with a controlled voice. I could tell he too was fighting not to let out his emotions.

“But- ” the ginger guy, started to say. I bet a hundred drachmas that Nico glared at him.

“No.” I said, pushing my emotions aside, and bringing up all the Roman training I managed to get and putting on an emotionless mask, but frowning after hearing how weak my voice sounded. I cleared my throat and shifted Thalia so I was holding her with only one arm. I kissed her head fondly and sighed. “We need them to get to the dorms.” I said calmly. Be Roman. I reminded myself.

Nico still seemed begrudging, glaring at the wizards, suspicious clear in his eyes. I wiped the tears paths from my face and helped Thalia up. She cleaned herself and glared at them, daring the wizards to say anything. I realized only then that the Great Hall was already empty, except for our little group. I scolded myself for being so inattentive of my surroundings. After so many years of training one would have thought I wouldn’t forget this lesson, since was one that could and would probably save your life one time or another.

“Uh… Just follow us.” Hermione said looking uneasy. Great, I just ruined our chances of making friends with my… moment, a minute ago. They started to walk out, and we followed behind quietly.

“Hi, you have beautiful eyes.” the blond girl who looked like A- _her_ said to Thalia. My cousin looked a little taken back, and I knew she too could see the resemblance. It was almost painful to look at her.

“Oh, thank you. I’m Thalia.” Thals said offering a small smile.

“I’m Luna Lovegood.” she said smiling. Now that I was actually looking at her, I could see more of the differences in Luna. Yes, she had the same curly dirty blond hair, but her eyes were more blue than grey. The shape of her nose wasn’t the same, it was thinner. And she had a somewhat unfocused look in her eyes, that ended giving her an expression of constant dreaming.

“I think you have Wrackaputs in your hair.” she said with a soft voice. I couldn’t keep staring at her, as much as I wanted to turn away. Even with the differences, they were still very alike. Luna and _her_ could have been siblings.

“What?” I managed to choke out after a few seconds.

“Wrackaputs. They’re usually not harmful but even then, I would wash behind my ears tonight if I were you.” She said, and without anything more than a smile to her friends, walked, almost jumping, away. I looked around to see if I was the only one confused and noticed first, that everyone had been watching the encounter with curious and uncertain eyes, and second, that the wizards were smiling, as if they were used to her odd behavior. I just shrugged. Why not?

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old piece I decided to dust out of the drawer *tense sweating*. This was written before the Mark of Athena came out, so nothing will be the same as canon after the Son of Neptune. Any changes in the Harry Potter canon will be adressed, otherwise, assume it's the same as the books. Alos, please bear in my English is not my first language and this work is unbeta-ed.


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